Abstract

For domestication purposes, six plant accessions of matico, Buddleja globosa Hope, cultivated in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement for two irrigation levels were studied for two seasons. Besides, the effect of several harvests per year and the nutrient extraction were also evaluated. The three wild accessions had lower leaf yields than the three cultivated ones, 0.17 and 0.25 kg plant-1, respectively, one of which with the highest leaf weight:aerial material ratio (0.64 against 0.54 to 0.57). Within accessions significant differences were also found for the number of shoots per plant (13.3 to 28.5), whereas flavonoid and tannin concentrations were not significantly different. From the first to the second season, there were increases in leaf yield (P <=0.05), from 0.18 to 0.23 kg plant-1, the number of shoots (from 15.8 to 28.0), flavonoid content (from 0.20 to 0.48%), and tannin content (from 1.54 to 2.00%). Water stress effected the yield (0.16 against 0.25 kg plant-1) (P <= 0.05). The smallest yields were obtained with three harvests per season (0.19 against 0.29 and 0.25 kg plant-1 for by one and two harvests, respectively). The number of cuttings increased the leaf weight:aerial material ratio from 0.50 to 0.65 and the flavonoid content, whereas the tannin concentration decreased from 3.21 to 1.85% (P <=0.05). The following were extracted from one ton of dried leaves: 18.26 kg N, 2.17 kg P, 12.25 kg K, 7.43 kg Ca, 2.8 kg Mg, 94 g Mn, 24 g Zn, and 11 g Cu.